Rolling and sliding of a nanorod between two planes: Tribological regimes and control of friction

TL;DR

This paper presents a theoretical study of a nanorod's motion between two planes, revealing how load and velocity influence whether it rolls or slides, and how multiple friction states can coexist.

Contribution

It introduces a planar model to analyze nanorod tribological behavior, showing coexistence of multiple friction states depending on load and velocity.

Findings

Nanorod can roll or slide depending on load and velocity.

Multiple sliding states with different friction forces can coexist.

Friction behavior depends on nanoparticle orientation.

Abstract

The motion of a cylindrical crystalline nanoparticle sandwiched between two crystalline planes, one stationary and the other pulled at a constant velocity and pressed down by a normal load, is considered theoretically using a planar model. The results of our model calculations show that, depending on load and velocity, the nanoparticle can be either rolling or sliding. At sufficiently high normal loads, several sliding states characterized by different friction forces can coexist, corresponding to different orientations of the nanoparticle, and allowing one to have low or high friction at the same pulling velocity and normal load.